Homes

Home full of warm, sunny appeal

Art, sculpture beckon from every nook of graceful space

To the south of the living room, with its gas fireplace, is the sunroom, which lives up to its name with a wall of windows.

Photograph by: Scott McKeen
, Edmonton Journal

That I really, really liked their home became obvious to Melanie and Thomas Nakatsui when I asked them to take me in.

Me: "Would you guys, like, adopt me? Please?"

Them, awkwardly: "Ha ha ha."

Oh well, there are always other families with homes featuring enough art for a decent-sized gallery and a mega-bath-room with a raised tub-with-a-view and his-and-hers shower doors and a huge kitchen and vast dining room next to a sunroom that looks out on a field-sized lot at the top of the river bank overlooking the river and Fort Edmonton Park - and stuff.

I just haven't found them yet.

The Nakatsui home is tucked away off the street, up a curved driveway and into a treed, almost Zen-garden-like front yard.

The front door opens and I'm gobsmacked. The far wall is all window and natural light, gleaming off the Brazilian hardwood's glossed palette of caramel, gold, burnt orange and walnut.

The eye flits here and there between spectacular things - large abstract canvases, floor vases, artisan glass, sculptures on mantels and sculptures in display niches.

Fortune and a mutual friend introduced me to Melanie Nakatsui years ago. Melanie, who volunteers with a number of local charities, is a delight. Her smile lights up rooms.

Later on, I was privileged to write a column about Thomas, a dermatologist, on a topic near and dear to my heart. Much of Thomas's practice is medical dermatology, but he is also a wizard at the art and science of hair transplants.

To this day I still quote the line he used when he looked at my flesh-planet of a head.

"Too much demand, not enough supply," he said with a note of sympathy. Thomas is nice like his wife. I forgave him.

Adding considerably to the sunny quotient in the Nakatsui home is seven-year-old cutie-pie Natalie, a budding artist, ballerina and pianist.

The family's Quesnell-area home was originally built in 1979 and completely redone in 2006 by the previous owner, a master at interior design. The Nakatsuis bought two years ago and needed only to add furnishings, art and small touches.

That was no small job, how-ever. The upper floor is 3,200 square feet and the downstairs is another 1,800.

Walking the home feels much like a gallery tour. The couple are art lovers and display works from the likes of Alice Teichert, Phil Darrah, David Alexander and Nomi Stricker.

Melanie is on the board of the Chrysalis Society, and the home also displays works done in the society's art studio.

The couple are nearly 12 years into marriage, after meeting at the University of Alberta.

"Through badminton," says Melanie.

"Bad-min-ton?" I say with a Spockian eyebrow lift.

"It's much cooler now," Thomas says, referring to the scandal involving Korean and Chinese teams at the London Olympics.

Well, at least their taste in art and design is cool. As is their home.

Both say they love the open feel to the place. The large kitchen and living room adjoin, while the dining room is hidden only by a quarter-wall and fireplace.

The kitchen is all dark-wood cabinets, granite countertops and Baffin-sized island.

Down an art-drenched hall-way is the master bedroom with its large, south-facing windows, remarkable fan-sloped ceiling and formal sit-ting area.

The adjacent bathroom is huge, with walls of mirrors, dark-wood cabinetry and a raised-and-tiled tub with its own east-facing window.

Access into the walk-in closet is from inside the bathroom. And speaking of access, the spacious shower has not one, but two doors - his and hers, presumably.

Natalie's bedroom is down-stairs, along with a spacious rumpus room complete with big-screen TV, team-sized sectional, billiards table and cabinet bar. The bar is adorned with the same artisan glass on display in the front foyer and kitchen, all of it produced locally, by Panache.

The huge backyard includes a tree house, rock fountain, sitting area, flower garden, tall trees and tippy-toe view. The home sits on a pie-shaped lot that is almost an acre in size.

Thomas says he loves the quiet and sense of seclusion the lot and tucked-back home provide.

Melanie fussed around getting the home ready before my visit. I know this because she stalled me a couple of weeks. And during the interview, fresh flowers were delivered.

But I suspect she fusses over all visitors. The couple like to entertain and want people to enjoy the art, the beauty and the sense of relaxed escape in this beautiful home.

Melanie just sent me an email. She explained that she and Thomas want their home to feel warm and welcoming.

"We want to make any guest feel like they are at home and comfortable when they are here with us."

Sadly, no mention of adoption.

Scott can be reached at Scott@ScottMcKeen.ca for comments or suggestions for future features on unique or beautiful homes in the Edmonton region.

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